The present invention relates to trailers for transporting particular types of apparatus and, more particularly, to a towable trailer especially suited for transporting elongated, flanged members or other apparatus incorporating such members.
Large machines such as those used in the automated harvesting of various crops sometimes include laterally extending elements which renders movement along public roads dangerous and/or illegal. For example, present commercial embodiments of tomato harvesting machines such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,810,512 and 3,999,613 of Wellington W. Porter include an elevator or discharge conveyor for the harvested fruit which extends laterally outward by a distance which would hamper or prevent movement of the machine over certain roads and other routes. Since it is often desirable to move the machine from one location to another via such routes, it is necessary to detach the elevator from the main body of the machine and transport it separately. The elevator itself is quite heavy and bulky, requiring considerable time and effort to detach, handle (e.g., load and unload from separate transporting means), and re-attach to the machine after movement to the new location.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a trailer which allows expeditious and convenient detaching, transporting and handling of the elevator conveyor of a harvesting machine of the type mentioned above.
A further object is to provide a novel and unique trailer for towing by another vehicle and particularly adapted to carry elongated apparatus having flanged members extending along each side.
Another object is to provide a trailer for transporting the elevator conveyor of a harvesting machine which requires only a single individual to load and unload the elevator as well as to detach and re-attach it from and to the harvesting machine.
A still further object is to provide a trailer having simple and easily manipulated, yet rugged and durable locking members for firmly holding the transported apparatus upon the trailer.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.